Spokane Public Library’s Summer Game Jam

Welcome to the first Game Jam hosted by Spokane Public Library. The end of summer is around the corner and what better way to end it, than with a Game Jam.

We invite everyone within the Spokane community to participate. All ages are welcome, as well as all skill levels. This is a great time to make your first video game or practice your skills as an experienced game developer.

You can join the jam by going to itch.io/jam/splsummergamejam2020

Details

Submissions will not be ranked. The idea is to have fun and to learn new skills. Your games will be played after the submission period is over by our librarians. If you don’t want us to play your game live on a streaming service, let us know during your game submission.

You will have 168 hours (7 days) to create a playable game. The Game Jam’s theme is Fantasy.

Game Submission Rules

1. All types of games are welcome: digital (Windows 10, Linux, Mac OS, and Android), physical* (board games, tabletop games, etc.).
2. No explicit content. Your game must be accessible for all ages. Please contact us if you have any questions.
3. Games must be free to play (Under “Pricing”, select “No payments”).
4. Your team can be of any size, you can do it alone or have a team of 20.

*If you make a physical game please upload a .pdf with rules on how to set up and run your physical game.

First Time Making a Game?

We have compiled a list of free resources that can help you make your game. These resources are free with an account, although some are free without an account.

There is a great YouTube series focused on game design that can help get your mind thinking about game design in general. We recommend watching “Making Your First Game: Basics – How to Start Your Game Development – Extra Credits” to begin your game making journey.

Game Engines

Game engines make the process of putting art, music, and code together a somewhat simpler process than writing your own machine language. Almost all games available on the digital market use one of these game engines.

Unity – Uses C#/Object-oriented programming and can be installed on Windows/Mac/Linux machines.

Unreal Engine – Uses C++ programming and can be installed on Windows/Mac/Linux machines.

Godot – Uses C#/C++/Object-oriented programming and can b installed on Windows/Mac/Linux machines.

Gamemaker – Uses Object-oriented programming and it’s own language.

Scratch – Uses block coding and is super simple, introduces logical thinking.

Sound Effects

BFXR is a sound effect maker that lets the user make sounds similar to the early days of video games.

FreeSound.org has a large collection of recorded sounds with public domain licenses.

Music

Chrome Music Lab is a great piece of software that lets you make songs.

Art

PixelArt.com/draw lets you create pixel art online for free.

Collaboration Online

Right now meeting up in person can be a risk, luckily there are free services online that allow communication and file sharing. Below are some free services that you can use to collaborate.

Google Drive – You can share files and work on documents simultaneously. They require a Google account.

Discord – Discord allows instant messaging and voice communication via ‘servers’ that you can set up with friends/teammates/family.